My Life ( kuv lub neej)

Wedding day

Today was the day of my wedding. As I we were getting ready to leave to my mom's place, I was told to go to the room to put on Hmong clothes. Me and the green lady standing right next to each other trying on which outfit fits who my mother in law said, " Daughter in law, remember when you go to your mom and she tells you to stay, don't stay. If anything happens, remember to follow your husband back home." I just nodded my head while she turns to the green lady and said, " You as the green lady will follow the wife everywhere she goes. If she goes to the bathroom then follow her. Every step she takes follow her. Don't let her run away and talk to guys like her boyfriends."
I thought to my head like did they really think my exs will be there? Like yeah I had a crazy ex that said he will come take me away on my wedding day but did they really think he will show up? I shrugged it off cause it was time to leave. When we got to my place, I looked outside and saw that there wasn't much cars. We got to the door and was asked who my father was before entering. It was sad that I couldn't get to say my real father's name but it was alright. After entering the house, everyone started chit chatting while I went to my room so me and my sisters can catch up. We were spending the night so the green lady and the others went home and will be back early tomorrow. Next day we woke up at 5am to start preparing food. People starting showing up and it was family from my mom's side. When everybody was here and everything was done I was called to the room for a talk with my mom and some relatives.
"Mai this is your last chance, are you willing to stay? If you leave my door today, you won't be able to enter it again as my single daughter and live with me like before. You are still young and have a whole lot of things ahead of you. So think now before we walk out the room and finish the wedding. You can tell us now if you want to stay and we will tell everyone to go home, or you can still choose to finish the wedding." My mom said nicely to me.
I look at everyone in the room and back at my mom and said, " I left already to start my life so I won't turn back. If my life isn't good then that will be the only reason why I turned back. So let's finish the wedding."
The mens all left the room and the green lady came in so we can put back the Hmong clothes and get ready to leave. At the table they read the list of all the people who gave me gifts.
"First off we will start with the parents and then siblings to Aunts and Uncles to cousins. Mom and dad is giving you $900 including the Hmong Lee leader $100 so total of $1000. Also mother gives you two shirts and two skirts." I stop listening after that because I thought to myself WOW! Every wedding I been to, to all my older siblings wedding my mom and dad gave them $1000 back with a gold necklace and so much more. Here I am where she couldn't even give me $1000 to start my life? And yet I cost more than my other sisters? Was she that different and stingy after she married my step dad? She just cared about him and his happiness that she didn't care that she was selling me off for a bigger price yet giving me less back? It saddens me so much that when I left, yes I cried but I didn't turn back. Back to my husband house to finish the wedding and by I know it, everyone was leaving. I was in my room opening gifts and putting them away so my room wouldn't be so packed. Next day my husband and my mother in law was talking about the gifts and all.
"Her mom only gave her $900 and they needed to add their leader's $100 to make it $1000 just to look like they gave her $1000." I heard my husband saying to my mother in law. My mother in law had said the same thing too. "'Maybe they don't love her that's why they gave her only that much." My mother in law said. Yes I was upset but I didn't say anything because I knew way before they didn't love me.